Ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe

ABSTRACT

A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a bucket pivotably mounted on a boom, hydraulic means for rotating the bucket relative to the boom and a linkage pivotably connecting the hydraulic means and the bucket. The ripper tooth attachment comprises a sharpened end portion for engaging material to be ripped and a support member which is connected to the linkage for movement therewith and which supports the sharpened end portion in a position substantially perpendicular to the linkage. Upon actuation of the hydraulic means the bucket is pivoted between an operative and inoperative position. When the bucket is in an operative position, the linkage is disposed so as to position the ripper tooth in an inoperative position and when the bucket is moved to its inoperative position the linkage is disposed to support the ripper tooth in an operative position. This arrangement enables the ripper tooth and the bucket to be simultaneously mounted on the backhoe and moved between their operative and inoperative positions by merely actuating the hydraulic means of the vehicle.

Cioiani Dec. 111, 1973 RIPPER TOOTH ATTACHMENT FOR A BACKHOE [76] Inventor: Pio Antonio Ciofani, Richmond Heights, Ohio [22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 238,573

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1972 Cairns 299/67 3/1969 Richey 37/ll7.5 X

Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser AttorneyMarvin L. Union [57] ABSTRACT A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a bucket pivotably mounted on a boom, hydraulic means for rotating the bucket relative to the boom and a linkage pivotably connecting the hydraulic means and the bucket. The ripper tooth attachment comprises a sharpened end portion for engaging material to be ripped and a support member which is connected to the linkage for movement therewith and which supports the sharpened end portion in a position substantially perpendicular to the linkage. Upon actuation of the hydraulic means the bucket is pivoted between an operative and inoperative position. When the bucket is in an operative position, the linkage is disposed so as to position the ripper tooth in an inoperative position and when the bucket is moved to its inoperative position the linkage is disposed to support the ripper tooth in an operative position. This arrangement enables the ripper tooth and the bucket to be simultaneously mounted on the backhoe and moved between their operative and inoperative positions by merely actuating the hydraulic means of the vehicle.

15 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I RIPPER TOOTH ATTACHMENT FOR A BACKHOE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a bucket supported for pivotal movement relative to a boom and more particularly to a ripper tooth attachment which is supported simultaneouslywith the bucket on the -backhoe and which is disposed in an operating position-when the bucket is moved to a nonoperating position and which is disposed in a nonoperating position when the bucket is moved to an operating position.

The prior art includes ripper tooth or scarifier attachments for backhoes and other earth moving machines. Generally, the prior art ripper teeth are divided into two classes. In the first class, the ripper tooth is mounted on the machine at the same location as the bucket and the bucket is removed when the ripper tooth is attached. This method of operation is extremely cumbersome due to the fact that every time it is desired to use the ripper tooth the bucket must be removed from the machine and the ripper tooth mounted thereon. Due to the size and weight of the bucket and the ripper tooth this operation usually requires at least two men. Moreover, after the ripping operation is completed and it is desired to remove the ripped material from the excavation the ripper tooth must be removed from the machine and the bucket replaced. Then if it is desired to rip further after the ripped material is removed from the excavation by the bucket, the bucket must be again removed and the ripper tooth must again be mounted on the vehicle. In the second class the ripper tooth and the bucket are simultaneously mounted on the boom of the vehicle and the ripper tooth is movable between an operative position and an inoperative position by adjustment thereof relative to the boom. Such ripper teeth are disclosed in the McCrary US. Pat. No. 2,912,774, the Clark U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,940, the Armington et al., US. Pat. No. 2,899,760 and the Howard U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,622. The ripper teeth of the second class suffer from the disadvantage that the construction thereof is expensive and cumbersome upon attachment to the machine. Moreover, the operator generally needs special expensive control apparatus for controlling the position of the ripper tooth and must adjust the position of the ripper tooth prior to each use thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a new and improved ripper tooth is provided which is mountable on a standard backhoe without removal of the bucket therefrom and without modification of the backhoe and which is movable between an operating and nonoperating position by the standard hydraulic means of the backhoe which is also operative to pivot the bucket relative to the boom.

The present invention also applies to a new and improved ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a pivotal boom, a bucket pivotably mounted on the boom, hydraulic means for effecting pivotable movement of the bucket relative to the boom and a linkage interconnecting the hydraulic means and the bucket, the ripper tooth attachment being operatively associated with the linkage and being mounted so as to be disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linkage and movable between an operating position and a nonoperating position by the hydraulic means of the backhoe with the ripper tooth being in its operating position when the bucket is in a nonoperating position and being in its nonoperating position when the bucket is in its operating position.

The present invention further provides a new and improved rippr tooth attachment for use with an earth moving vehicle wherein the vehicle includes a boom structure, hydraulic power means, a bucket pivotably mounted on the boom structure, and a linkage having a first pivot pin at one end thereof connected to the bucket and a second pivot pin at the opposite end thereof connected to the hydraulic power means so that actuation of the hydraulic power means applies a force through the linkage to effect rotation of the bucket relative to the boom structure. The ripper tooth attachment includes a ripper tooth having a sharpened end portion and support means including openings therein for receiving the first and second pivot pins of the linkage therein to support the ripper tooth in a position substantially perpendicular to the linkage so that movement of the bucket by the hydraulic means between its operating and nonoperating positions effects movement of the ripper tooth between its nonoperating and operating positions with the ripper tooth being in an operating position when the bucket is rotated to a non-operating position and the ripper tooth being in a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated to an operating position.

The present invention is advantageously applied to apparatus for use on a machine having a support member, power means, a first linkage pivotably attached at one end to the support member and at the opposite end to the power means, second linkage means pivotably attached at one end to the first linkage and the power means, and third linkage means pivotably attached to the support member at one end and to the second linkage means at the opposite end. The one end of the first linkage is pivotably attached to the support member in a spaced apart relationship from the one end of the third linkage means which is also pivotably attached to the support member. The third linkage means includes a first implement which is pivotably attached to the support means for rotation about the one end of the third linkage means upon energization of the power means. The first implement has an operating position over the majority of the range of pivotal movement of the third linkage means upon movement thereof by the power means and a nonoperating position over the minority of the range of pivotal movement of the third linkage means. The second linkage means includes a second implement which is rotatable relative to the opposite end of the third linkage means in response to movement of the second linkage means by the power means and the second implement has an operating position over the minority of the range of movement of the third linkage means when the second and third linkage means are moved by the power means and the first implement is in a nonoperating position. The second implement has a nonoperating position over the majority of the range of pivotal movement of the third linkage means when the second and third linkage means are moved by the power means and the first implement is in an operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic pictorial representation of a backhoe having a ripper tooth attachment which embodies the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ripper tooth attachment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the bucket in an operating position and the ripper tooth in a nonoperating position;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the bucket in a nonoperating position and the ripper tooth in an operating position;

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the position of the bucket, the ripper tooth and the linkage when the hydraulic cylinder is in a partially extended position;

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the bucket, the ripper tooth and the linkage means when the hydraulic cylinder is in an extended position and wherein further extension of the hydraulic cylinder will cause the linkage to move over center and move the ripper tooth to its operating position; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of the bucket, the ripper tooth and the linkage wherein the hydraulic cylinder is in its fully extended position and the linkage has been moved over center.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a backhoe 10 having an operators station 12. The backhoe 10 includes a boom structure 14 having a bucket 16 and a ripper tooth attachment 18 disposed thereon. The boom structure 14 includes a main boom 20 which is pivotably attached to the backhoe at the pivot point 24 and a dip stick 22 which is pivotably attached to the main boom member 20 at the pivot point 28. A hydraulic cylinder 26 is provided to effect rotation of the main boom member 20 about the pivot point 24 and a hydraulic cylinder 30 is provided to effect rotation of the dip stick 22 about the pivot point 28.

Rotation of the bucket 16 and the ripper tooth attachment 18 relative to the dip stick 22 is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 32. The hydraulic cylinder 32 is attached at one end by a pivot pin 34 to a support structure 36 fixed to the dip stick 22 for movement therewith. The hydraulic cylinder 32 includes a push rod 33 which is attached by a pivot pin 38 to a linkage means 40 which inteconnects the ripper tooth attachment 18 and the bucket 16 with the hydraulic cylinder 32. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 32 and movement of the push rod 33 effects rotation of the bucket 16 and the ripper tooth attachment 18 relative to the dip stick 22 through movement of the linkage means 40.

The linkage means 40, more fully illustrated in FIG. 3, includes a first link 48 which has one end thereof pivotably connected to the dip stick 22 by a pivot pin 50 and the opposite end connected to the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 by the pivot pin 38. The linkage 40 further includes a second link member 52 which has one end thereof connected by the pivot pin 38 to the end of the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 and the opposite end connected to the bucket 16 by a pivot pin 54. The pivot pin 54 is disposed in a flange assembly 46 which is secured to the bucket 16 and which forms a third link of the linkage means 40. The bucket 16 is attached by a pivot pin 42 which extends through an opening 44 in the flange assembly 46 to the dip stick 22. It should be apparent that actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 32 and movement of the push rod 33 will effect rotation of the bucket 16 about the pivot pin 42 secured to the dip stick 22 and rotation of the ripper tooth attachment 18 relative to the dip stick 22 through the linkage means 40 as will be described more fully hereinbelow.

It should be appreciated that while the linkage means 40 is illustrated as a one dimensional single set of links, the linkage means 40 is in fact a two dimensional linkage which comprises spaced apart sets of link members 48 and 52 which are secured to either side of the dip stick 22 by the pivot pin 50 and the bucket and ripper tooth attachment 18 by the pivot pins 54 and 38. However, in order to simplify the explanation of the movement of the linkage assembly 40 it may be assumed that the linkage assembly exists in one dimension as the operation thereof is the same as if it exists in two dimensions.

The ripper tooth attachment 18, more fully illustrated in FIG. 2, includes a ripper tooth 56 having a sharpened and hardened end portion 58 for engaging material to be ripped. The ripper tooth S6 is secured by suitable means, such as welding, to a support plate 60. The support plate 60 is secured by suitable means, such as welding, to a pair of spaced apart flanges 62 which are adapted to support the ripper tooth attachment 18 between the pivot pins 38 and 54. To this end each of the flanges 62 include a pair of openings 64 and 66 therein which are adapted to receive the pivot pins 38 and 54 respectively to support the ripper tooth attachment 18 in a position substantially perpendicular to the link 52.

The ripper tooth attachment 18 can be moved between an operating position shown in FIG. 4 and a nonoperating position shown in FIG. 3 by activation of the hydraulic cylinder 32. When the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 is retracted, as is shown in FIG. 3, the ripper tooth attachment 18 is moved to a nonoperating position in which the ripper tooth 56 is inoperative to engage material to be ripped and the bucket 16 is moved to an operating position. When the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 is extended as is illustrated in FIG. 4, the bucket 16 is rotated about the pivot pin 42 to a nonoperating position and the ripper tooth S6 is extended to a position in which it is operable to engage material to be ripped. When the ripper tooth is moved to an operative position, as is illustrated in FIG. 4, the ripper tooth will be disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dipper stick 22. At the same time the bucket 16 will be curled about the dipper stick 22 so that the'ripper tooth 56 and the sharpened end portion 58 thereof will extend beyond the curled bucket 16. This will enable the ripper tooth to engage material to be ripped. The ripper tooth can then be moved back and forth by movement of the dip stick 22 so as to rip the material which is desired to be ripped. The dip stick 22 can be rocked about the pivot point 28 by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 30. The ripper tooth, will then be operable to engage material to be ripped such as concrete, frozen earth, shale, etc., in a well known manner.

When the ripper tooth 56 is moved to its nonoperating position and the bucket 16 is moved to its operating position upon actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 32, as is illustrated in FIG. 3, the bucket 16 may be rotated about pivot pin 42 to effect excavation of material by the bucket 16. Moreover, the hydraulic cylinders 26 and 30 may also be actuated to effect relative movemeat of the bucket 16 relative to material to be operated on in a well known manner.

The present configuration enables the ripper tooth attachment l8 and the bucket 16 to be simultaneously mounted on the backhoe 1(1 and alternately move between their operating and nonoperating positions by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 32. When the bucket 16 is in an operating position, the ripper tooth 56 is in a nonoperating position and does not interfere with the normal operation of the bucket 16. When the ripper tooth is in an operating position, the bucket 16 is in a non-operating position and does not interfere with engagement of the sharpened end portion 58 of the ripper tooth 56 with material to be ripped.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate the movement of the linkage means 40 which enables the ripper tooth attachment 18 and the bucket 16 to be alternately moved between their operating and nonoperating positions. As is illustrated in FIG. 5, the ripper tooth attachment 18 is supported by the pivot pins 38 and 54 so that the ripper tooth 56 is normally disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the link 52. When the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 is in a retracted condition, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, the link 52 is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the dip stick 22 and the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32. In this position the ripper tooth 56 is dis posed in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the material to be ripped and is hence, in a nonoperating position. However, the bucket 16 is disposed in a position in which the bucket may engage with the ground or the material to be worked.

Extension of the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 effects pivotal movement of the bucket 16 about the pivot pin 42 relative to the dip stick 22. It should be apparent from FIG. 6, that over the majority of the range of movement of the bucket 16 relative to the dip stick 22 the ripper tooth 56 will be disposed in a nonoperating position due to the fact that the link member 52 is disposed substantially parallel to the dip stick 22 to thereby hold the ripper tooth 56 in a position in which the ripper tooth 56 is disposed substantially parallel to the material to be ripped. When the linkage 40 moves over center, which occurs when the pivot pin 54 moves to the left of the center line 70 illustrated in FIG. 6, the linkage 52 will rapidly pivot or flip about the pivot pin 54 to move the link 52 to a position in which it is substantially perpendicular to the dip stick 22 and in which the ripper tooth 56 is disposed in an operating position.

The configuration of the linkage 40 is such that the distance between the pivot pins 42 and 50 located on the dip stick 22 is less than the distance between the pivot pins 38 and 54. This construction enables the linkage 40 to toggle when the pivot pin 54 moves to the left of the center line 70 illustrated in FIG. 6. The present construction is such that the pivot pin 54 will stay to the right of the center line 70 during the majority of the range of movement of the push rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32. During a minority of the range of movement of the push rod 33 the pivot pin 54 will move to the left of the center line 70 and toggle the linkage 52 to a position in which it is substantially perpendicular to the dip stick 22 as is illustrated in FIG. 7.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that during the majority of the range of extended movement of the rod 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 32 the bucket 16 will rotate about the pivot pin 42 and the linkage 52 will stay substantially parallel to the dip stick 22. However, during further extension of the push rod 33 the pivot pin 54 will move past the center line which will cause the linkage 40 to toggle and the link 52 to assume a position which is substantially perpendicular to the dip stick 22. This construction enables the hydraulic cylinder 32 to move the bucket 16 through a wide range of operating positions in which the ripper tooth 56 is held in a nonoperating position by holding the linkage 52 in a position substantially parallel to the dip stick 22. However, when the push rod 33 is extended so that the pivot pin 54 moves to the left of the center line 70, the pivotal movement of the linkage 52 will be such as to rapidly bring the ripper tooth 56 into an operating position wherein the linkage 52 will be disposed substantially perpendicular to the dip stick 22 and the bucket 16 will be rotated to a nonoperating position. The movement of the push rod 33 which is needed to move the ripper tooth attachment 18 to its operating position after the pivot pin 54 reaches the center line 70 is a small minority of the total movement of the push rod 33 relatively to the hydraulic cylinder 32. This, of course, enables the hydraulic cylinder 32 to move the bucket 16 through a wide range of operating positions wherein the ripper tooth 56 is held in a nonoperating position and then rapidly pivot the ripper tooth 56 to an operating position and the bucket 16 to a nonoperating position.

The construction of the linkage means 40 is such that while a separate link member 52 has been illustrated, the link member 52 may be alleviated by the utilization of the flange portions 62 to take the place of the link member 52. Moreover, a different construction of the ripper tooth could be utilized in the present invention in that the ripper tooth could form an integral part of the link member 52 rather than being separately supported on the pivot pins 54 and 38 as is illustrated. Moreover, while a bucket 16 has been illustrated as being disposed between pivot pins 42 and 54, other implements could be connected between the pivot pins 42 and 54. It should also be realized that the flange portion 46 of the bucket 16 forms an integral part of the linkage means 40, in that the flange 46 acts as a link between the pivot pins 42 and 54.

The ripper tooth attachment 18 is suitable for use on various earth moving machines without modification thereof. The ripper tooth attachment 18 may be permanently mounted on the machine or may be used only when material to be ripped is encountered and then removed from the machine. Attachment of the ripper tooth to the backhoe 10 is accomplished simply by inserting the pivot pins 54 and 38, which form a part of the backhoe 10 through the openings 66 and 64 respectively, in the flange portions 62 of the ripper tooth attachment 18. The pivot pins are then suitably secured in the openings 66 and 64. The only modification which is necessary in order to make the present ripper tooth attachment suitable for use on a standard backhoe is that the pivot pins 54 and 38 must be longer than the normal pivot pins due to the fact that the pivot pins must not only extend through the openings in the bucket 16 and the links 52 but must also extend through the openings 64 and 66 in the flange portion 62 of the ripper tooth 18.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present invention provides a new and improved ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe. The ripper tooth attachment is one that may be mounted simultaneously on the boom structure of the backhoe without the need for removing the bucket therefrom. The bucket and the ripper tooth are moved between their operative and inoperative positions by a hydraulic cylinder means associated with the dip stick of the backhoe boom structure. This construction enables an operator of the vehicle, by energization of the hydraulic cylinder associated with the dip stick to alternately move the bucket between its operating and nonoperating positions and the ripper tooth attachment between its operating and nonoperating positions. When the bucket is in an operating position, the ripper tooth will be in a nonoperating position and not interfere with the normal operation of the bucket. When the ripper tooth is in an operating position, the bucket will be in a nonoperating position and will not interfere with the normal operation of the ripper tooth. This presents a substantial advantage over the prior art in that separate control means are not needed for the ripper tooth attachment and due to the fact that the bucket does not have to be removed from the boom when the ripper tooth is utilized. Moreover, the ripper tooth attachment can be easily utilized on standard machines without modification thereof.

1 claim:

1. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a bucket pivotably mounted on a boom, hydraulic means for rotating the bucket relative to the boom and a linkage including at least a pair of spaced apart pivot pins one of which is associated with the bucket and the other of which is associated with the hydraulic means interconnecting the bucket with the hydraulic means, the linkage providing rotational movement of the bucket relative to the boom in response to actuation of the hydraulic means, said ripper tooth attachment comprising a ripper tooth having a sharpened end portion at one end thereof for penetrating material to be ripped, a support member attached to the end of said ripper tooth opposite said sharpened end portion and flange means attached to said support member, said flange means including at least first and second openings therein, said first opening being adapted to receive said pivot pin associated with the bucket therein, said second opening being adapted to' receive said pivot pin associated with the hydraulic means therein, said flange means being adapted to support said ripper tooth to enable the ripper tooth to be moved to an operating position when the bucket is rotated in one direction relative to the boom by the hydraulic means and be moved to a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated in a direction opposite said one direction relative to the boom, the bucket being moved to an operating position when said ripper tooth is rotated to said nonoperating position and being moved to a nonoperating position when said ripper tooth is rotated to said operating position.

2. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said flange means supports said ripper tooth in a position disposed substantially perpendicular to said linkage.

3. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe as defined in claim 2 wherein said flange means supports said ripper tooth substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when the bucket is in said nonoperating position and supports said ripper tooth in a position substantially parallel to material to be ripped when the bucket is in said operating position.

4. A ripper tooth attachment for use with an earth moving vehicle wherein the vehicle includes an earth moving bucket mounted for pivotable movement relative to a boom structure of the vehicle in response to actuation of a hydraulic power means disposed on the vehicle, the bucket includes a first pivot pin associated therewith and which is attached to one end of a linkage the opposite end of which is attached by a second pivot pin to the hydraulic power means of the vehicle so that actuation of the hydraulic power means applies a force through the linkage to effect rotation of the bucket relative to the boom structure, said ripper tooth attachment comprising a ripper tooth having a sharpened portion at one end thereof for engagement with material to be ripped, and support means including a plurality of openings therein for receiving the pivot pins associated with the bucket and hydraulic power means for mounting the ripper tooth in a position substantially perpendicular to the linkage interconnecting the hydraulic means and the bucket, said ripper tooth attachment and the bucket being adapted to be simultaneously supported by the pivot pins, said ripper tooth having an operating position when the bucket is rotated in a first direction relative to the boom structure by the hydraulic power means and having'a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated in a second direction opposite said first direction relative to the boom structure.

5. A ripper tooth attachment as defined in claim 4 wherein said linkage supports said ripper tooth in said operating position when the bucket is rotated to a nonoperating position by said hydraulic power means and said ripper tooth is in a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated to its operating position by the hydraulic power means, said ripper tooth and bucket being supported to enable said ripper tooth and bucket to be alternately moved between their operating and nonoperating positions upon actuation of said hydraulic power means.

6. A ripper tooth attachment as defined in claim 5 wherein said ripper tooth is supported substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when said ripper tooth is in said operating position and said ripper tooth is supported substantially parallel to material to be ripped when said ripper tooth is in said nonoperating position.

7. Apparatus for use on a machine having a pivotal boom and a power means, said apparatus comprising a first linkage pivotably attached at one end thereof to said boom and at the opposite end thereof to said power means, second linkage means pivotably attached at one end thereof to said first linkage, third linkage means pivotably attached to said boom at one end thereof and to said second linkage means at the opposite end thereof, said one end of said first linkage being pivotably attached to said boom in a spaced apart relationship from said one end of said third linkage means which is pivotably attached to said boom, said second linkage means including an earth ripping implement rigidly fixed to said second linkage means at a location substantially midway between said one end and said opposite end of said second linkage means, said second linkage means being rigidly fixed to said earth ripping implement to prevent relative movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement and being rotatable relative to said opposite end of said third linkage means in response to movement of said first and third linkage means by the power means of the machine, said power means effecting pivotal movement with respect to said boom of said first linkage and said third linkage means through a substantial predetermined arc which effects a small pivotal movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement and wherein further pivotal movement of said first linkage and said third linkage means beyond said predetermined arc effects a substantial pivotal movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement.

8. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein the distance between the pivotal connections of said first linkage to said boom and said third linkage means to said boom is less than the length of said second linkage means.

9. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said earth ripping implement is disposed substantially perpendicular to said second linkage means.

10. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said third linkage means includes a first implement which is pivotably attached to said boom for rotation about said one end of said third linkage means upon energization of the power means of the machine.

11. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said first implement comprises an earth moving bucket.

12. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said pivotal movement with respect to said boom of said first linkage and said third linkage means through said substantial predetermined arc effects movement of said earth moving bucket through a plurality of operating positions and said further pivotal movement of said first linkage and said third linkage means beyond said predetermined arc effects movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement to an operating position and movement of said earth moving bucket to a nonoperating position.

13. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 12 wherein said earth ripping implement is in said operating position when said earth moving bucket is pivoted to a non-operating position by said power means and said earth ripping implement is pivoted to a nonoperating position when said earth moving bucket is pivoted to its operating position by the hydraulic power means, said earth ripping implement and said -earth moving bucket being supported to enable said earth moving implement and said earth moving bucket to be alternately moved between their operating and nonoperating positions by said power means.

14. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said earth ripping implement comprises a ripper tooth having a sharpened end portion on one end thereof for engagement with material to be ripped and said ripper tooth is supported substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when in said operating position and supported substantially parallel to material to be ripped when in said nonoperating position.

15. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 14 wherein said earth ripping implement further includes support means for operatively connecting said ripper tooth to said second linkage means. 

1. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe having a bucket pivotably mounted on a boom, hydraulic means for rotating the bucket relative to the boom and a linkage including at least a pair of spaced apart pivot pins one of which is associated with the bucket and the other of which is associated with the hydraulic means interconnecting the bucket with the hydraulic means, the linkage providing rotational movement of the bucket relative to the boom in response to actuation of the hydraulic means, said ripper tooth attachment Comprising a ripper tooth having a sharpened end portion at one end thereof for penetrating material to be ripped, a support member attached to the end of said ripper tooth opposite said sharpened end portion and flange means attached to said support member, said flange means including at least first and second openings therein, said first opening being adapted to receive said pivot pin associated with the bucket therein, said second opening being adapted to receive said pivot pin associated with the hydraulic means therein, said flange means being adapted to support said ripper tooth to enable the ripper tooth to be moved to an operating position when the bucket is rotated in one direction relative to the boom by the hydraulic means and be moved to a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated in a direction opposite said one direction relative to the boom, the bucket being moved to an operating position when said ripper tooth is rotated to said nonoperating position and being moved to a nonoperating position when said ripper tooth is rotated to said operating position.
 2. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said flange means supports said ripper tooth in a position disposed substantially perpendicular to said linkage.
 3. A ripper tooth attachment for a backhoe as defined in claim 2 wherein said flange means supports said ripper tooth substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when the bucket is in said nonoperating position and supports said ripper tooth in a position substantially parallel to material to be ripped when the bucket is in said operating position.
 4. A ripper tooth attachment for use with an earth moving vehicle wherein the vehicle includes an earth moving bucket mounted for pivotable movement relative to a boom structure of the vehicle in response to actuation of a hydraulic power means disposed on the vehicle, the bucket includes a first pivot pin associated therewith and which is attached to one end of a linkage the opposite end of which is attached by a second pivot pin to the hydraulic power means of the vehicle so that actuation of the hydraulic power means applies a force through the linkage to effect rotation of the bucket relative to the boom structure, said ripper tooth attachment comprising a ripper tooth having a sharpened portion at one end thereof for engagement with material to be ripped, and support means including a plurality of openings therein for receiving the pivot pins associated with the bucket and hydraulic power means for mounting the ripper tooth in a position substantially perpendicular to the linkage interconnecting the hydraulic means and the bucket, said ripper tooth attachment and the bucket being adapted to be simultaneously supported by the pivot pins, said ripper tooth having an operating position when the bucket is rotated in a first direction relative to the boom structure by the hydraulic power means and having a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated in a second direction opposite said first direction relative to the boom structure.
 5. A ripper tooth attachment as defined in claim 4 wherein said linkage supports said ripper tooth in said operating position when the bucket is rotated to a nonoperating position by said hydraulic power means and said ripper tooth is in a nonoperating position when the bucket is rotated to its operating position by the hydraulic power means, said ripper tooth and bucket being supported to enable said ripper tooth and bucket to be alternately moved between their operating and nonoperating positions upon actuation of said hydraulic power means.
 6. A ripper tooth attachment as defined in claim 5 wherein said ripper tooth is supported substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when said ripper tooth is in said operating position and said ripper tooth is supported substantially parallel to material to be ripped when said ripper tooth is in said nonoperating position.
 7. Apparatus for use on a machine haviNg a pivotal boom and a power means, said apparatus comprising a first linkage pivotably attached at one end thereof to said boom and at the opposite end thereof to said power means, second linkage means pivotably attached at one end thereof to said first linkage, third linkage means pivotably attached to said boom at one end thereof and to said second linkage means at the opposite end thereof, said one end of said first linkage being pivotably attached to said boom in a spaced apart relationship from said one end of said third linkage means which is pivotably attached to said boom, said second linkage means including an earth ripping implement rigidly fixed to said second linkage means at a location substantially midway between said one end and said opposite end of said second linkage means, said second linkage means being rigidly fixed to said earth ripping implement to prevent relative movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement and being rotatable relative to said opposite end of said third linkage means in response to movement of said first and third linkage means by the power means of the machine, said power means effecting pivotal movement with respect to said boom of said first linkage and said third linkage means through a substantial predetermined arc which effects a small pivotal movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement and wherein further pivotal movement of said first linkage and said third linkage means beyond said predetermined arc effects a substantial pivotal movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement.
 8. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein the distance between the pivotal connections of said first linkage to said boom and said third linkage means to said boom is less than the length of said second linkage means.
 9. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said earth ripping implement is disposed substantially perpendicular to said second linkage means.
 10. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said third linkage means includes a first implement which is pivotably attached to said boom for rotation about said one end of said third linkage means upon energization of the power means of the machine.
 11. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said first implement comprises an earth moving bucket.
 12. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said pivotal movement with respect to said boom of said first linkage and said third linkage means through said substantial predetermined arc effects movement of said earth moving bucket through a plurality of operating positions and said further pivotal movement of said first linkage and said third linkage means beyond said predetermined arc effects movement of said second linkage means and said earth ripping implement to an operating position and movement of said earth moving bucket to a nonoperating position.
 13. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 12 wherein said earth ripping implement is in said operating position when said earth moving bucket is pivoted to a non-operating position by said power means and said earth ripping implement is pivoted to a nonoperating position when said earth moving bucket is pivoted to its operating position by the hydraulic power means, said earth ripping implement and said earth moving bucket being supported to enable said earth moving implement and said earth moving bucket to be alternately moved between their operating and nonoperating positions by said power means.
 14. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said earth ripping implement comprises a ripper tooth having a sharpened end portion on one end thereof for engagement with material to be ripped and said ripper tooth is supported substantially perpendicular to material to be ripped when in said operating position and supported substantially parallel to material to be ripped when iN said nonoperating position.
 15. Apparatus for use on a machine as defined in claim 14 wherein said earth ripping implement further includes support means for operatively connecting said ripper tooth to said second linkage means. 